Casing for holding sample tubes

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for holding sample tubes comprises a casing divided into a plurality of compartments into which sample containing tubes are insertable and spring means are provided for holding the tubes within the compartments. The compartments are provided with openings in a front wall and there are coding elements insertable into the compartments which also have openings which are selectively registrable with the openings in the front wall of the compartments.

1451 Sept. 16, 1975 United States Patent 1191 Knulst CASING FOR HOLDINGSAMPLE TUBES The invention relates to a casing for holding sample tubes,particularly, but not exclusively, intended for use in systems for theautomatic check of the contents of the sample tubes, for example, ingamma counting systems.

ln known systems of this kind each sample tube is placed in a separateholder, the holders being subsequently joined to form a transport chain.The position of the sample tube in the transport chain serves toidentify the sample contained in the tube concerned. The chain conveysthe sample tubes in succession towards a pick-up station, from whencethe sample tube is moved towards a measuring station.

This known method has several disadvantages. For example, each sampletube has to be inserted separately into a holder and subsequently intothe transport chain, it being removed from the chain and from the holderafter a measurement has been made. This method is labour-consuming andtime-consuming. It further has the disadvantage that the identificationof a given sample is dependent upon its place in the chain, so thatafter the samples have been inserted into the chain and the chain hasbeen inserted into the measurement system, an intermediate exchange ofsamples in order to permit a test immediately after the sample has beentaken is not practically possible.

ln making measurements in a gamma counting system in accordance with agiven programme, a selection of a measuring spectrum has to be made. Analteration of the measuring spectrum can be made by inserting a codestop into the chain between the sample tubes, the stop causing themeasuring spectrum to be modified at the correct instances. However, theinsertion of such code stops into the chain reduces the sample tubecapacity of the chain. The sample tube capacity of the chain is alreadycomparatively low, whereas there is a need for high-capacity systems.

According to the invention there is provided a casing for holding sampletubes wherein the casing comprises a plurality of compartments, each ofwhich is formed with two wall portions arranged at an angle to eachother, and a biasing member opposite the wall portions.

At least one wall of a plurality of the compartments can be providedwith openings and removable coding members can be arranged in at leastsome of the compartments,.the coding members having openingscorresponding to selected openings in the compartment walls.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of exampleonly, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which the FIG. llis a perspective view of the embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a coding member of the embodiment ofFIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but turned through approximately 180.

The casing of transparent synthetic resin shown in the drawing comprisesa bottom plate l, a front wall 2, a rear wall 3 and side walls 4.

By means of partitions 5, the elongated casing is subdivided into tencompartments 6, in each of which a sample tube can be received. In usethe casing is moved step-wise by a suitable drive means to a pick-upstation.

Adjacent the rear wall 3 the lower part of each compartment is providedwith two rear walliportions 7 and 8 arranged at an angle to each otherto define a V- shaped recess.

At the level of these wall portions 7, 8, an elongated slot 9 isprovided in the front wall 2 and extends throughout the length of thefront wall 2. The lower parts of sample tubes 10 inserted into thecompartf ments 6 can be observed through the slot 9. At a given distancein front of the wall portions 7 and 8, biasing members in the form ofsprings 11 are arranged. The ends of each spring 1l are embedded in thematerial of a side wall 4 or a partition 5, each spring being of alength such that it extends across two adjacent compartments. Thepartition 5 separating the compartments concerned is provided with anelongated slot 12 for receiving the spring 11. The sample tubes 10 inthe compartments 6 are urged by the springs 1 l against the wallportions 7, 8, so that the sample tubes will always occupy a fixedposition in a compartment relative to the casing. Thus the sample tubescan be lifted outof the casings without difficulty with the aid of asuitable pick-up mechanism, because the correct location of a sampletube relative to the pick-up mechanism is assured.

The front walls of the six right-hand compartments have twocircular-section holes 13 lying one above the other. The extremeleft-hand compartment has two similar holes 14, one lying above theother and the third compartment viewed from the left has two similarholes l5, lying one above the other.

Each compartment is adapted to receive a square coding can 16, whichextends over approximately half the height of the compartment, as isshown in the Figure. Each can 16 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, isconstructed with one wall 16a having two holes lying one above the othersuch that, when the can is inserted into a compartment with this wallengaging the front wall of a compartment, these holes are in line withthe two holes in the front wall of the compartment. A second wall 16h ofthe can 16 has a hole which is positioned to be at the level of theupper row of holes provided in the front walls of the compartments, whenthe can is inserted in a compartment. A third wall 16C of the can 16 hasa hole which is positioned to be at the level of the lower row of holesprovided in the front walls of the compartments when the can 16 isinserted in a compartment and the fourth wall 16d has no registeringopening.

When such a casing is inserted into the measuring system it can bedetermined by means of a scanning device whe'ther the holes 13, 14 and15 in the front walls of the casing are or are not in register with theholes in the cans 16. In accordance with a registration or anonregistration of the holes 13, 14 and l5 with holes in the cans 16,the system will be automatically adjusted by an electronic means toprovide the measurement required. For example, the holes in the sixright-hand compartments may be employed for encoding the sample, e.g.,for indicating the practitioner concerned and/or the patient from whomthe sample is taken, etc. The holes in the third compartment from theleft, may be used for adjusting the system to the required measurement.It will be apparent that in this way one of four different measurementscan be selected in dependence on whether there is no hole in the can 16found opposite the hole l5, a hole in the can 16 found opposite only theupper hole 15, a hole in the can 16 found opposite only the lower holeor two holes in the can 16 found opposite the two holes 15.

The holes 14 in the front wall of the extreme lefthand compartment arepreferably used for indicating the presence or absence of furthercasings following the casing scanned so that, when the can 16 insertedinto the left-hand compartment is arranged in a position indicating thatthis is the last casing the measurement system is automatically stoppedafter the samples in the tubes of this last casing have been measured.

At least the portion of the front wall 2 formed with the holes 13, 14and 15 is frosted with the exception of a clear, transparent portionbetween the holes and clear, transparent strips at the junction betweenpairs of adjacent compartments. A digital code may thus be provided onthe cans 16 so that the operator inserting the sample tubes into thecasing can readily check whether he has placed the cans 16 in thecorrect positions for the correct coding of the samples. The code isformed by a given number allotted, for example, to a practitioner, adepartment or a hospital or the like. The two left-hand compartments ofthe six right-hand compartments correspond to the contenary digits, thecontenary digits of the code concerned being the digit which is repeatedon the two adjacent cans, that is to say in the embodiment shown thedigit 3 which is repeated. ln the embodiment shown the digit 2 indicatesthe decades and the digit S indicates the units.

The upper portions of the rear wall and of the side walls are frosted.The user of the casing can thus make his own marks or notes on theseportions.

The four different modes of measurement are designated by the digits lto 4 and in order to ensure performance of the correct measurement it isonly needed for the desired digit corresponding to the measurementrequired to be visible between the holes 15 by the correct adjustment ofthe can 16.

The adjustment of the cans 16 is performed in a particularly simplemanner, since they can be drawn upwardly out of the casing, even whenthe sample tubes have been inserted into the compartments; subsequentlythey can be turned around their longitudinal axes and reinserted intothe casing in the required position.

Obviously by using more than two holes in the front wall of eachcompartment and by providing or not providing various holes in the sidewalls of the cans 16. a large number of different selectablemeasurements can be obtained, whilst the code can be readily scanned andprocessed electronically in computers and the like.

The results of the measurements can be printed by electronic means withan indication of the code scanned by the system. It will be obviousthat, when this system is employed, a casing already arranged in thesystem can be readily exchanged with another casing so that it is alwayspossible to modify the measuring process in order to give priority tocertain samples over other samples. Furthermore, the casing can beemployed as a stand for the sample tubes so that sample tubes can bedirectly inserted into a casing at the location where the samples aretaken, after which the casings with the sample tubes can be moved to themeasurement system.

What we claim is:

l. Apparatus for holding sample tubes comprising a casing defining aplurality of compartments for the reception of sample tubes, means forholding tubes in said compartments, each compartment having a frontwall, each said front wall having two openings formed therein saidopenings lying one above the other, and removable coding membersinsertable into said compartments, said coding members having in oneface, two openings registrable with the two openings in said front wallsof the compartments, in another face, an opening registrable with thelower opening in said front wall, in a further face, an openingregistrable with the upper opening in said front wall and in a fourthface, no opening.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein a rear wall portion of acompartment is formed by two relatively inclined parts and biasing meansis arranged adjacent a front portion of said compartment for urging asample to its place into that compartment towards said rear wall.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said biasing means isconstituted by a spring.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said biasing means is formedby a helical spring which extends across the front of said compartmentsand is spaced from said rear wall of said compartments.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein each spring extends acrossthe fronts of two compartments, an elongated hole for receiving thespring being formed in a wall separating said two compartments.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the ends of the spring areembedded in wall portions of the casing which are made of a syntheticresin.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim l, wherein said front walls of thecompartments are opaque at least for a major part thereof, transparent,vertical strips are provided in the front walls of six adjacentcompartments of the casing at the level of the junction between twoadjacent compartments, and the coding members insertable therein areprovided with digits which are visible through said transparent strips.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the front wall of onecompartment of the plurality of compartments has a transparent portionbetween said two openings lying one above the other, the coding memberarranged in said compartment having a digital marking which is visiblethrough said transparent portion.

* l =l l

1. Apparatus for holding sample tubes comprising a casing defining aplurality of compartments for the reception of sample tubes, means forholding tubes in said compartments, each compartment having a frontwall, each said front wall having two openings formed therein saidopenings lying one above the other, and removable coding membersinsertable into said compartments, said coding members having in oneface, two openings registrable with the two openings in said front wallsof the compartments, in another face, an opening registrable with thelower opening in said front wall, in a further face, an openingregistrable with the upper opening in said front wall and in a fourthface, no opening.
 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein a rear wallportion of a compaRtment is formed by two relatively inclined parts andbiasing means is arranged adjacent a front portion of said compartmentfor urging a sample to its place into that compartment towards said rearwall.
 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said biasing means isconstituted by a spring.
 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein saidbiasing means is formed by a helical spring which extends across thefront of said compartments and is spaced from said rear wall of saidcompartments.
 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein each springextends across the fronts of two compartments, an elongated hole forreceiving the spring being formed in a wall separating said twocompartments.
 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the ends of thespring are embedded in wall portions of the casing which are made of asynthetic resin.
 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said frontwalls of the compartments are opaque at least for a major part thereof,transparent, vertical strips are provided in the front walls of sixadjacent compartments of the casing at the level of the junction betweentwo adjacent compartments, and the coding members insertable therein areprovided with digits which are visible through said transparent strips.8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the front wall of onecompartment of the plurality of compartments has a transparent portionbetween said two openings lying one above the other, the coding memberarranged in said compartment having a digital marking which is visiblethrough said transparent portion.